CrossPoint Newsletter

Seventh Edition 11/6/2023

It can be easy to point a finger at things that bother us in the culture, I know how quick I can be to complain at times. What if instead of just complaining, we noted the noble things that are worth participating in? To be winsome for Christ in a culture that doesn’t know him, we must be known for what we’re for more than what we're against. 

One of the things we should be all for as followers of Christ is Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday on November 28th will be a one day nudge in our culture to think outside of themselves for the sake of others. There is a collective understanding in our society that causes worth advancing always require generosity.

As Christians, we know that the greatest cause is the cause of Christ. God has always built his kingdom through sacrificial generosity. Jesus sacrificed everything, and in response, we get to join him in a life of generous sacrifice. When we understand what Christ has done for us, what once felt like an obligation will start to feel like an opportunity. Jesus and His cause is worth every sacrifice we make!

As disciples making disciples, we are committed to be a church planting church. In order to reach rural Kansas for Christ, we envision being 20 CrossPoint locations by the year 2030. We know this is audacious. We know this will come at a cost. We know that sacrifice will be required to see God’s kingdom advanced. We know that Jesus is worth it.

To this end we are seeking to raise $75,000 this Giving Tuesday. These funds will help us continue to develop leaders and plant churches to make more disciples of Jesus. We know this is a big sacrifice, but the cause is worth it. Thank you for praying, thank you for giving, thank you for going. We are better together!

You can give to The Harvester Foundation at: theharvester.org/givingtuesday

Jason Waller

Lead Pastor

As a church, we eagerly anticipate the return to routine in the Fall! It’s a blessing to us when the college students arrive and bring a sense of energy and excitement. We are encouraged to now have over 70% of our congregation involved in Grow Groups and are thankful for the new leaders God provided. We continue to pursue our relationship with Early Childhood Connections, and were able to provide lunch for their staff training this Fall.

CrossPoint Students are seeing consistent numerical and spiritual growth. Averaging 30 a week (7 more than last year!), they are blessed with adults and college students investing in them. In September, Max Peine, a college student, led the weekly teaching. Last Saturday, we had 40 students attend our Homecoming prep party consisting of help from parents and college students with hair, nails, makeup, and of course video games and snacks! It’s great seeing discipleship happen among our students.

We are anticipating our first Deacon training this year. We have an incredible number of people with amazing gifts to serve the local church and community, many who do so already. It’s our hope, with the affirmation of the church, the opportunities that God gives to serve will increase. 

Pray with us:

• as we begin to seriously consider next steps in regards to building and space needs.
• to invest in each other well as the body of Christ.
• that we love the community of Hays with excellence.

Micah Sanderson

CrossPoint Hays Pastor

Thanksgiving Day is quickly approaching and I for one can’t wait to celebrate (and eat cranberry sauce which for the record is the most underrated part of the meal in my humble opinion). We all know that Thanksgiving is a day to be well…thankful! Like most holidays Thanksgiving tends to sneak up on us. It’s here before we know it. We make all of the family plans and arrangements. We bake the food and decorate the house. We make sure everyone in the family can make it and then watch mom get worried that someone won’t. We feel all the feels that come with the holidays. Then it arrives. The day is here and we know that only one thing seems to be missing. Thankfulness. We feel a bit of guilt as we have planned this entire day and forgot to invite the star of the show to the party. As we gather our thoughts in the midst of busy preparations a little peace comes over us as we start to remember the meaning of the holiday. We are thankful! We just forget to think about it! 

Thankfulness is a discipline. Thankfulness is similar to any other discipline in that it must be consistent to make an impact. Like our high school coaches told us, “Practice makes perfect.” Imagine going to the gym one time and then three weeks later you look back in frustration and wonder why you aren’t fit. Discipline is fed by desire. Desire develops habits. Habits breed consistency. After that, discipline becomes a lifestyle. Thanksgiving needs to be more than a day. Thanksgiving is a lifestyle.

In order to have a lifestyle of thanksgiving we have to know what we are most thankful for. It comes from remembering what Jesus has done for you. Thanksgiving by nature isn’t focused on us. It has to be focused on Him. His perfect life, sacrificial death, and life-giving resurrection are the ingredients that give disciples the recipe for a grateful heart. When we meditate on him we can’t help but to be thankful. When we think less about ourselves, our circumstances, our misfortunes, our health, our brokenness, our relationships, and fix our eyes on Jesus we become thankful. 

Consider how the Psalmist David starts Psalm 9:1;

   I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
        I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.

So let’s start Thanksgiving Day early this year. Just like that one family member (you know who you are) that likes to have a Birthday “month” instead of “day” let’s build a habit of thankfulness into our hearts from the beginning of the month. Let’s recount His wonderful deeds. Let’s sing His praises. Let’s meditate on His word. Let’s become thankful even when we don’t feel thankful. Let’s go to the well of living water and drink until we are so satisfied it changes more than our thirst. It changes our hearts! 

Today, start the habit of remembering the good news of Jesus. Set aside 2 minutes to simply remember what God has done for you and how He loves us. A simple 2 minute daily habit can and will create in us a life of thankfulness. Of course, it starts there but doesn’t have to end there. Maybe this year we won’t feel Thanksgiving “guilt” on Thanksgiving Day. After all, thankfulness is more than just a day. But it starts with today. 

Ryan Booth

Lead Pastor